Caloric engine.



LQANDBRsoN & E. P. ENGEL.

GALORIC ENGINE.

APPLIUATION'HLBD JULI s, 1911.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

' 2 SHEETSBHEET l.

f IMHHH COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co..wAsHlNG1joN. D. c

L. ANDERSON & E. E. ENGEL.

GALORIG ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULYs, 1911. 1,073,065.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

2 SHEETB-SEBET 2 56' Wei@ la@ .im

TTED STATES PATENT EEECE.

LABS ANDERSON AND EDWIN F. ENGEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE- HALF TOGEORGE W. STAHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

cALonrc ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

Application filed .Tuly 3, 1911. Serial No. 636,712.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, Lans ANDERSON and EDWIN E. ENGEL, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Calorie Engines, of which the. following Ais a specification.

' This invention relates to engines of a class commonly known as hot-air engines which are impelled by the expansion of a fluid contained in a closed cylinder 4and the principal object of the invention is to provide an improved construction,'combination and arrangement of the several parts which shall result'in a simple andcheap engine of the class described which is effective and etlicient in operation. Y

Another object is to provide improved means for replenishing the fluid within the cylinder.

A further object is to provide improved heating and cooling means for the fiuid within the cylinder.

A still further object is to provide an iinproved construction `and arrangement of parts whereby a dead-center is prevented.

F or the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, our invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, but more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing an engine constructed in accordance with the principles of our invention. E ig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail cross sectional view on the line 3 3, Eig` 1. Eig. 4 is a detail view of the fluid replenishing device. Fig.` 5 is a detail view of the plunger showing the communicating means between the plunger shell adjacent the reduced portion thereof, when the plunger is made in sections. Eig. 6 is a diagrammatic representation showing the several movable parts in a position different than in Fig. 1; Eig. 7 is Va diagrammatic representation showing the several Vparts `to present a construction in which the maximum efficiency may be attained.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the cylinder 10 is adapted to receive a plunger comprising a close-fitting portion 11 and a portion of reduced diameter 12. These plunger portions 11 and 12 are joined by a threaded portion 13 orV are made integral, and adjacent the juncture of the two portions a number of per forations 111 are provided in the shell which are adapted to form communication between the inside of the close-fitting portion 1l `and the outside of the plunger shell. The

reduced portion 12 is closed at both ends to form a` sealed chamber 15. This sealed chamber may be filled with fluid or fluid may be entirely withdrawn therefrom, a cap 16 being preferably provided at one end of the reduced portion 12 to afford communication with the interior of the said reduced portion.

Attached to the cylinder is a cylinder cap 17 which is formed of any suitable heatccnduct-ing material and is preferably of thinner construction than the cylinder 1() to facilitate the passage of heat through the cap. The plungeris adapted to move in the cylinder 10, the reduced portion 12 being moved within the cap 17 at the end of a stroke. Since the portion 12 is reduced in diameter or cross section a space will be provided between the cylinder 10 or the cylinder cap 17 and the reduced portion 12.

Within the close-fitting portion 11 of the plunger a piston 18 is movable. Both the piston 18 and the close-fitting portion 11 are adapted to make air-tight connection. The

piston 18 is movable within the shell portion 11 and the latter is movable within the cylinder 10. It appearsy therefore that the movement of the piston is greater than the movement oi' the plunger shell 11, and ,in the present exemplification of our invention the movement of the piston is substantially twice as great as the movement of the plunger. At the other end of the cylinder 10 a crank case 19 is secured and between the flanged connecting edges of the cylinder and the crank case are a plurality of openings 20. Surrounding the cylinder lO is a casing 21 and the openings 20. are adapted to afford communication between thev interior of the crank casev 19. and the space formed by the casing 2i. At the upper end of the. casing there are provided a number of' openings 22. These openings 2O andl 22 are adapted to provide means for permittingl a fluid toA be drawn in from without they crank case. and to be. expelled therefrom through the chamber surrounding the cylinder.l 10 by the. movement of thev piston and plunger in the cylinder whereby the cylinder will be cooled. It is contemplated that the fluid employed for cooling shall be but it is also, obvious that other' cooling fluids may be employed to cool the cylinder. j

'lilhe fluid contained within Ythe cylinder upon the expansive force of-which the opr eration Qt the, engine, depends may be any desired or suitable fluid, in the present invention it is contemplated that air will be used: as this fluid. The pumping action of the plunger and the piston in the cylinder is operative to expel| some oi thev air from the closed portion of the cylinder by way of the crank case unless the. connections between the plunger and the cylinder are absolutely air tight. In order that the air or fluid within the cylinder may be. replenished there isprovided an automatic device shown more clearly in Fig. t, which is adapted to main.- tain the fiuid within the cylinder at any desired pressure. It is found in practice that the pressure of the fluid within the cylinder 4should not differ greatly from the pressure of the atmosphere for the actionI of the plunger and piston in the cylinder at one endj of thel stroke is to compress the fluid and at the other end to rarefy it because. of the great difference in displacement at the opposite ends ofv the stroke. It is evident therefore that a pressure intermediate of the 28 affords communication between the interiors of the tube 23 and the cylinder 10.

be admitted through the opening 26 torreplenish the air within the cylinder. This device may. adjusted by varying the size Y of the plug and by adjusting the position of the screw 25 so that any desired .pressure may be maintained within the, cylinder.

Attached. to the plunger ll are lOds 2,9

and attached to the piston lL8 is al piston rod 3.0. 'Elie engine shafts. 3;l are. provided with" ,crankA disks` 32- within the crank c ase and a cra-ulg pin, 3 3-con nectsl the crank` disks. 'l'.heV

rods 29 are-pivotally connected, to the` crankk piu 3,3` andthe length of stroke ofV these bars 29- and the plunger may beladjustedf ad-k justingthe position of the crank pli-n- Vwith respect to the crank? disks 32:. Pivotally mounted upon thiscrank pin 33 and preferably intermediate of the.y pivotal connection j l of the. bars. 2).therewith is a lever having'V lever arms 3ft and This lever has pivotal connection at one end to the piston rod 30 and at the other end to a link or 36. The link 36 is pivotally connectedpat Vits Vother end to. some fixed point in the'crank case as 37. The piston rod 30 is VVformed with its ends at an angle tor each other, as are` also the, armsBt andl). ofy the lever connected to the piston rod. By this means it is Aseen that the. thrust ot the. piston rod upon ythe crank lpin is at an angle to the thrustpof the 29. connected. tothe plunger shell. From, this. it is4 evident that there will be no d'eadscenzten position and that the thrust irnparted. to. the piston rodand the bars will be directly transmitted to, the engine shaft through thefcrank p in and crank disks. ltV

of course provided Vwith fly-wheels 38 to equalize. thel power of the engine. j

In; operation the plunger and the. pistonV l compress the fluid in the cylinder at one end of the stroke, and by reference to Fig". l it willv be evident that when` the piston and plu-nger.` are. at the compression end oit the stroke. the piston will:` be adjacent the apertures, or openings in the plunger shell` and.

the fluid. will be` compressed substantially within2 the space. formed between.'the reduced portion l2A and the. cylinder cap. 17. Heat being. applied to the cylinder cap. 17; expandsl the fluid causing.. it to act upon the A'erred construction, combination and arplunger and upon the piston which thereupon are moved in a direction to permit of the further expansion of the liuid. The piston moving downwardly draws the iluid from the outside of the plunger shell through the apertures la'wit-hin the close-fitting portion ll which is surrounded by the cylinder l0. The cylinder being cooled on the outside cools the iluid within the close-fitting portion, and in addition the rapid movement of the piston within the plunger shell 1l has a. rarefying eifect which further acts to cool the iiuid. It will be noticed that the heating and cooling system is of the maximum etliciency for the reason that heat is applied in the cylinder cap to a thie bodyA of fluid and that the action of the engine itself is utilized in the cooling of the fluid within the cylinder as well as the rarefying of the fluid by means of the piston action. By sealing the chamber l5 and exhausting the air therefrom the heating act-ion in the cap 17 is further assisted andthe heating eliciency of the engine is thereby increased.

l/Vhile we have thus described the prerangement of the several parts which constitute our invention, it is evident that those skilled in the arts to which this appertains may make various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of such parts without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Claims.

l. In an engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder,` a plunger movable therein, and means movable simultaneously therewith to vary the expansive space in the cylinder.

2. ln an engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger movable therein, and a piston movable simultaneously with the plunger and at a different speed.

3. ln an engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger movable therein, and a piston mov-able in the said plunger at the Sametime and at a different speed. l

el. ln an engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger movable therein, and a piston movable in the plunger at the same time in the same direction and at a diierent speed.

5. In an engine ot" the class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger movable therein, a piston movable within the said plunger at the bottom thereof, and means to vary the pressure within the cylinder more rapidly than the movement of the plunger varies.

6. In an engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, av plunger the lower part oi which tits closely within the cylinder, a piston slidable within the close- `fitting portion of the said plunger, and

means to move the piston in accordance with the movement of the plunger and at a difierent speed to vary the pressure of Huid within the cylinder. t

7. In an engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger within a closed portion of the cylinder and movable within the cylinder', a piston movable in the plunger at a speed different from that of the plunger, the piston and plunger comprising a closed chamber in the cylinder which is varied in size in accordance with the movement of the piston.

S. In an engine ot' the class described, the combination of a. cylinder, a plunger movable in the cylinder, a portion of the plunoer iitting closely and another portion provided with a closed chamber fitting loosely on the said cylinder, and a piston movable in the close-tting portion of the plunger at a speed different than that of the shell, the said plunger being provided with means forming communication between the interior of the close fitting portion and the cylinder surrounding` the loose-iitting portion.

9. In an engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger shell movable within the cylinder, a portion of the shell fitting closely within the cylinder and an extension thereof of smaller diameter forming a closed chamber, perforations being disposed in the shell between the close fitting portion and the other portion to provide communication between the interior of the close tting portion of the shell and the cylindrical space about the portion of smaller diameter, and a piston movable in the close-fitting port-ion of the shell operative to move liuid through the perfo-rations as the piston moves.

l0. In an engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger movable within the cylinder, the plunger being formed with a close-fitting portion and a portion of reduced diameter, the latter being closed to form a sealed chamber, and with perforations in the shell between the two portions, and a, piston movable within the close-fitting portion of the plunger and operative in conjunction with the said plunger to vary the displacement in accordance with the movement of the piston and the plunger.

ll. in a caloric engine, the combination of a cylinder, a cylinder capsecured to the cylinder, a plunger movable within the cylinder and formed with a portion which ts the cylinder closely and another portion which is reduced in diamter and extends within the said cap when the plunger is at one end of its stroke, the said reduced portion forming a closed sealed chamber, and the plunger being` provided with perforations through the shell between the two said portions, and a piston movable within the close tting portion of the plunger at a different speed than the said plunger and operative to force the air in and out oft' the perforations in accordance with the movements of the plun- 5, ger and the piston.

12. In. a caloric engine, the combina-tion odi a, cylinder', a. cylinder cap of heat conducting material secured thereto, a plunger movable- Within the cylinder having a por- 19, tion which fits the cylinder closely and aning material secured. thereto, a plunger movable Within the cylinder having a portion i which fits the cylinder closely and another portion reduced in diameter and forming a sealed chamber Which is positioned to. eX-

. tendl Within the said cap. at one end of the stroke and With perforations through the plunger Where the tivo. said portions thereof meet a` piston` movable Within the close fitting` portion of the plunger at a different speed than the plunger, the said piston and plunger forming with the cylinder a closed variable chamber, the fluid in the cylinder being under compression at one end of the stroke and rarefied at the other end thereof;

14.111, any engine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger having a. close fitting shell portion. movable int-the cylinder, a piston movable Within the clgosefitting portion, the piston and plunger 4,5, forming vrith the cylinder a closed chamber for containing eXpansible fluid, and means to replenish the fluid in` the closed cylinder chamber;

15. Inv an engine of t-he class described,

the Combination of a cylinder, a plunger having a close fitting shell portion movable in the cylinder a piston movable Within the closeffitting portion, the piston and plunger forming with the cylinder a closed chamber i for containing expansible fluid, and an automaticy device operative to permit the inflowing offlu-id to the cylinder chamber and to prevent the outflow thereof.

1,6'. In. an engine of the class described, theY combination of a cylinder, a. plunger having a close fitting shell portion movable in the cylinder, a piston movable Within.` the clfosefitting portion, the pistonv and plunger. formingwith the cylinder a, closed? cham- @5 bei;v gor containing eXpansible fiuid,` andl a i ,acercan 'device automatically operable to. maintain the fluid in the cylinder chamber at a given density. v

17'. In an engine of the class described, thev combination of a cylinder, a plunger having a close fitting VshellY portion movable in the cylinder, a piston movable Within the close fitting portion, the piston and plunger forming with the cylinder a closed chamber for containing expansible fluid, and a device automatically operable tomaintain theV fluid in the cylinder chamber at a given density and comprising-a vertical tube having communication With the cylinder chamber threaded at the upper end' and With a tapered opening in the bottom, a taperedplaagI movable in the tube and adapted to close the bottom opening, a threaded plug for the top. of the tube, and an adjusting pin.: toregulfate the height to which the movable plug may rise.

18. In a caloric engine, the combination Y ofl a cylinder, a plunger having a close fit-V ting' shell? porti-oir and a portion of reducedK diameter forming a sealed chamber, a cylinder cap of? heat conducting material, the scaled chamber portion. extending Within the said cap at the end of a stroke, a piston' movable Within the close fitting portion of the plunger, a piston.V rod, a closed crank case, a casing surrounding the saidJ cylinder andi provided with. communicating openings to the crank case andl in the portion of the casing remote from the crank case openings, the movement of the pis-ton in the'cylinder beingy operating to draivv air into and to'eXpel it from. the crank case through the said cylf inder-casing to cool the cylinder, the cylinder cap being adapted to.` be heatedV to expand the fluidtherein contained.

119.111 an; engine of the class describech! they combination of af cylinder, a `plunger having a close fitting" shelly portion movable in the cylinder, a piston movable in the said shell portion, a crank case, and means Whereby thepiston is moved at a different speed; andi in. the same direction as the plunger, the latter bei'ngimpelfled-.by the same eXpansive force as that applied to the plunger.

20. In a fluid expansive engine of the class described, the combination With a cylrie inder, off a plunger having ai close fitting shell portion movable-therein, a piston movable within the said shelll portion, a piston rofl attached to the plunger, aV separate piston rod attached tothe said piston,.angengine crank, theV said rods beingv both attached to the said: crank, and means in connection; with a. fixed point and one of said piston rods tocause it to move at a` different speed than the other, yboth the plunger and; the piston being impelled in the saine direction. by the same expansive force.- Y Y 21;..lni a fluid. expansive engine of the class described, the combination with a cylinder, oi? a plunger having a close fitting shell portion movable therein, a piston movable within the said shell portion, a piston rod attached to the said piston, a crank case, an engine shaft and crank rotatable in the crank case, the said rods being attached to the engine crank, and means whereby the piston is moved in the same direction at a faster rate of speed than the said plunger.

22. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a cylinder, or" a plunger shell having a close fitting portion and a portion reduced in diameter and forming a closed chamber, a cylinder cap secured to the cylinder into which the plunger' extends at one end of the stroke, a piston Inova-ble in the said shell portion, means whereby the piston is moved in the same direction simultaneously with the plunger with a stroke of greater length, the piston and the plunger being impelled by the same eX- pansive force. i

23. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a cylinder, of a plunger with a shell portion and movable in the cylinder, a piston movable in the shell portion of the plunger, a crank case, an engine shaft and crank, and means in connection with the crank and the piston and plunger wherebythe piston is moved at a greater rate of speed than the plunger, the length of stroke of the piston being greater than that of the plunger.

24;. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a cylinder, of a plunger with a shell portion and movable in the cylinder, a piston movable in-the shell portion of the plunger, a crank case, an engine shaft and crank, a crank pin secured to the crank, a rod to connect the plunger to the crank pin, a pisto-n rod secured to the piston, a lever pivoted on the crank pin having one arm pivotally connected with the piston rod, and means to connectthe other lever arm to a iiXed point, the said lever in connection with the piston rod being operative to permit a greater speed of motion of the piston than of the plunger.

25. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a cylinder, of a plunger with a shell portion and movable in the cylinder, a piston movable in theV shell portion of the plunger, a crank case, an engine shaft and crank, a crank pin secured to the crank, a rod to connect the plunger to the crank pin, a piston rod secured to the piston, a lever pivoted on the crank pin having one arml pivotally connected with the piston rod, a

bar pivotally connected at one end to a fixed point and at the other end to the other arm of the said lever, the piston rod being connected to and bearing upon the crank pin at a different angle than that of the rod connected to the plunger.

26. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a cylinder, of a plunger with a shell portion and movable in the cylinder, a piston movable in the shell portion of the plunger, a crank case, an engine shaft and crank, a crank pin secured to the crank, a `rod to connect the plunger to the crank pin, a piston rod secured to the piston, a lever pivoted on the crank pin having one arm pivotally connected with the piston rod, means to connect the other lever arm to a iixed point, and means to adjust the length of stroke of the piston and plunger.

27. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a cylinder, of a plunger with a shell portion and movable in the cylinder, a piston movable in the shell p orw tion of the plunger, a cran r case, an engine shaft and crank, a crank pin secured to the crank, a rod to connect the plunger to the crank pin, a piston rod secured to the piston, a lever pivoted on the crank pin having one arm pivotally connected with the piston rod, means adjustably to connect the other lever arm to a fixed point, and means to adjust the length of stroke of the piston independently of the length of stroke of the plunger.

28. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a cylinder, of aplunger with a shell portion and movable in the cylinder, a piston movable in the shell portion of the plunger, a Vcrank case, an engine sha-ft and crank, a crank pin secured to the crank, means to connect the plunger to the crank pin, a piston rod with end portions bent out of alinement, a lever pivotally connected with the crank pin and having connection with the end oit' the piston rod, and means to connect the other end of the said lever to a given point, the piston rod being operated at an angle to the plunger connecting means whereby a dead-center is prevented.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 24th day of June A. D. 1911.

LARS ANDERSON. EDWIN F. ENGEL. Witnesses:

FRANCIS A. HOPKINS, K. W. WoNNnLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C. 

